sweet fun romance
I initially started this one on a whim since I was looking for fluffy romance dramas to indulge in and decided to give this one a try, and thank goodness I did. Dear Herbal Lord is a fun little drama (24 half hour episodes split into 2 seasons, 12 eps per season) following herb fairy Song Lan as she tries to woo the king of medicine Chu Zhimo into marrying her, fulfilling the wish of Jiang Qingyun, the host of the body that she now resides in.Like I said before, this drama is fairly short compared to other normal dramas (25+ eps with each episode averaging an hour) so the story is very fast paced, which is a good thing since there's no room for filler and unnecessary drama. There will be scenes that are a little confusing at first but they're quickly explained afterwards. Again, it's a short drama focused on romance so I'm not too critical of the story's logic.
The crux of the drama, the romance, is tooth rottingly sweet. Song Lan has an innocent air to her (mostly because as an herb fairy, she's never interacted with humans before inhabiting Jiang Qingyun's body), so she is very blunt and bold about showing Chu Zhimo her affections. Pair the unintentionally flirty Song Lan with cold-faced Chu Zhimo who is terrible with women, this is a hilarious pair and I have squealed at (and replayed) their scenes too many times to count. Special mention to Yan Xi for showing us that a cold and standoffish male lead doesn't mean being expressionless and being angry all the time!
To move the story forward, there will be angst, just to warn anybody who only wanted the fluff. To be precise, it's more of a dash of angst, a splash of noble stupidity but a truckload of dramatic irony (the audience knows everything but the characters do not). You will want to grab your screen and scream at characters that they're making a mistake, but you can't even hate them because from their perspective... they actually have a point. It does end happily, I can guarantee you that, so just trust the process ;)
Leaving a small blurb about my favourite character, Xiao Ziming. Add him to the ever-growing list of Second Leads That Deserve Better because he is so sweet and devoted to our female lead. Even though Song Lan/Jiang Qingyun is infatuated with Chu Zhimo, he still stays by her side and cheers her up when she's sad. Where can I find my Xiao Ziming in real life??
To end this off, I definitely recommend Dear Herbal Lord if you're looking for a light and sweet romance drama. Nothing convoluted, just Fluff (also the kiss scenes called me single in 520 different languages ;_; ).
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This review may contain spoilers
Not nice to watch but definitely worth seeing. Superbly done in many ways. Powerful. Resonating.
Prolog:The conclusion for the protagonist in his late 30s is rather tragic: he´s getting the urge to go back. He wants the life of his late youth back. He cannot continue with who he is today. For him, there is only one option remaining – a shortcut to the exit.
However, for the audience, the end is actually the beginning. The journey goes backwards in seven chapters. And when we finally reach the start, it actually makes sense to look at the ending again... (in movie-terms: its beginning...)
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“Peppermint Candy” was one of the top ten movies in 2000. The international awards it collected are respectable. And even in 2022, “The Guardian” has it listed in 12th place among South Korean film classics. Meaning: It was topical back then and still hasn’t lost its impact. It´s cult. It can be considered particularly valuable. However, it´s not particularly nice, though. Rather particularly powerful and ferociously intense.
"Peppermint Candy" dates from 1999. It tells the story of the previous two decades of South Korean history using the example of an arbitrary, inconspicuous individual. For audience who isn´t firm in recent South Korean history, the KMovie may be reduced to the protagonist as an individual - to his very personal story and his tragic ending. For all those who know something about the historical, social background (see the side note below if you like), the KMovie becomes a memorial on screen that commemorates all those in society who were probably thus affected in one way or another, too, and may have had a similar experience. And there were quite a few.
In 1999, South Korea looked back on two extremely eventful decades. Two decades that were endured, sustained, borne by the people... Two decades that, in addition to democracy, turbo-capitalism and material prosperity, also produced a whole series of psychological cripples.
I actually don't like the word 'cripple', but somehow it seems appropriate in this case, here in the sense of: people who were maltreated by others or 'by life´s circumstances' to the point of psychic unconsciousness (even if perhaps they themselves were involved as perpetrators, too). People who were broken by their fate and trauma, not being allowed to and/or able to talk about it. People who fell, lost themselves, could no longer get back on their feet, feeling helpless. Completely bent. People who could not find peace with their shame and guilt. In their inability to communicate about it and get help, they became a total human failure for those around them.
In reverse "Peppermint Candy" portrays the career of such a psychological (and physical) 'cripple' in intense scenes. We may acknowledge the individual fate. Even without historical background and regardless of socialization, we acknowledge a broken soul, of which all that is left to the outside world is actually an 'asshole'. Once a poetic, delicate, sensitive spirit... it´s hard to believe. Actor Sol Kyung-gu expands the entire range of his skills, convincingly and uncompromisingly drawing the audience into each of his divers crucial, rather unpleasant emotional life situations.
“Peppermint Candy” is superbly done in many ways. Not too much, not too little. Ruthless. And in pointed, symbolic imagery, the scenes gain in emotional power and meaningfulness as they progress - even after we have travelled a few sequences further (back) - to the extent that the puzzle of drastic life events accumulated are coherently put together into a pile of shards.
The protagonist in "Peppermint Candy" is experiencing the significant historic events of his generation at the forefront. His psychical downward spiral cannot be stopped. But this protagonist is no exception. Countless people in their late thirties in South Korea in 1999 could have told such or similar stories. During those traumatizing two decades the public was carelessly left alone to individually deal with what had happened. What a person experienced emotionally, what a person had to process and couldn't, the decisions made, the guilt, the shame, the pain – the answer to that was mainly psychological repression and silence about it. The consequences in everyday life: Outbursts of acting up and/or apathy. Sometimes the old wound hurts again. The old wound makes man fall to the ground, by its pain that he cannot escape. But it is also a phantom pain - the desperate suffering over an essential piece of 'who I am' that was taken away once and for all...
The protagonist in "Peppermint Candy" suffers on behalf of an entire generation of anonymous young people who were quietly worn down, deeply psychologically shattered and finally by the two decades of the 80s and 90s, the time of transition from military dictatorship to modern capitalism existentially bankrupt. The KMovie reaches out to all those who may have had a similar experience and/or were able to sympathize. Where communication had been lacking for decades, the KMovie, with its sometimes disturbing insights, tries to build a bridge: with understanding that may even extend to empathy. "Peppermint Candy" manages to connect the South Korean people through the fate of this one fictional man and his personal environment. (Additionally, it may even touch the rest of the world). Yongho, who could be 'anyone', and with him the women in his life, his friends (?), his colleagues and his victims who had crossed his path, who could also be 'anyone'…
Not nice to watch. But definitely worth seeing.
Powerful. Resonating. A convincingly empathetic work.
A work of passion.
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SIDE NOTE: --- Brief overview of the historical background of South Korea - regarding May 1980 in Gwangju, the 1980s under repressive police violence, and the years of economic miracle up to the Asian crisis of 1997-1999. ---
May 1980 in Gwangju, South Korea, featured a bloody massacre that the police and military were ordered to carry out on their own people. Yet, that massacre of Gwangju remained an official taboo for almost two decades. What happened in Gwangju back then was kept secret from the rest of the country. Then, the city was deliberately cordoned off. The enemy was officially called 'communism' (especially in student circles, supposedly under the infiltrated influence of North Korea.)
Those who survived May 1980 in Gwangju and perhaps could or would have wanted to talk about it were pressured, persecuted, tortured and put in camps. The others who preferred to remain silent had to figure out by themselves how to emotionally digest what had happend.
President Chun Do-hwan, who succeeded his predecessor Park Chung-hee in the aftermath of the bloody spring of 1980, did not create any less autocratic structures for the common people than before with his dictatorship. On the contrary. With him, brutal torture was carried out in the spirit of a systematic cleansing. The years of Chun Do-hwan's rule were some of the worst for South Korea in terms of political repression. His mission: The country should use all its might to present itself to the rest of the world as dazzling and up-and-coming until the Olympic Games. Whatever/whoever was bothersome was put away. However, the autocratic rule of the dictator and his brutal power apparatus with police and secret service ended in 1987 as a result of unbridled, enormous public pressure. The people's longing for democracy was finally able to prevail.
Parallel to the repression under Chun Do-hwan, the 1980s and following years were characterized by the years of economic miracle. The market became increasingly liberalized and it was all about exports. Yet, on a large scale growth and prosperity were built on credit: direct investments from abroad, credit cards for the people in the country, loan sharks for all those smaller companies that couldn't get the money from the banks. But the bubble of the expansive credit economy of the 1990s burst in 1997 with the Asian crisis. The credit boom was followed by a crash, an enormous fall in the value of the won, a series of bankruptcies, unemployment all over the place and poverty for the many.
Even though South Korea got back on its feet astonishingly quickly in the course of the subsequent years of the so called IMF Economic Crisis, the path was marked by countless fates of bankruptcies and many families suffering from for a long time since.
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1Although some people had commented it becomes all stale and boring in the long run, I don’t see that. All I see is Song Hye Kyo and that cute chemistry she had with Rain. The bickering and never ending I-hide-my-feelings-because-I-think-I’m-falling-for-you-now charade is what made me love it more. It was a romantic comedy which made me laugh my ass out and then squirm in the insides for the main character’s cat and dog antics.
I’m starting to like you. You’re starting to like me. BUT we’re SO not going to tell each other about these absurd feelings.
That's the whole concept of the main character's convoluted feelings.
In Full House, it was all fair in love and… eerrr debt? That’s how everything started. A contract (oh what a cliché!) and the jealousy induced acting between strangers. In the story, the ever bright Han Ji-Eun is a wacky lead female which lead to a ridiculous story line. Crazy as her character is, Lee Young-jae is the logical one but eventually becomes irrational when it comes to Ji-Eun.
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Story: Although you can watch Season 2 without watching Season 1, you'll get a much better understanding of what's happening if you'd watched Season 1. The story continues with where it ended in Season 1 with Tian Jingzhi finding herself pregnant with Xue Ling Qiao's baby. You'll still get the quirky interactions and conversations between Tiang Jingzhi and the people around her, though in Season 2, you'll get to better understand Tian Jingzhi and her motivations. On the outside, she may come across as a happy-go-lucky, devil-may-care character, but in many circumstances, she'd thought deeply on matters and like any other woman, had her reservations and worries about her relationship with Xue Ling Qiao. On another hand, while Xue Ling Qiao was portrayed as being somewhat detached in Season 1 because he didn't want to involve Tiang Jingzhi overly much in his matters in order to keep her safe, in Season 2, you'll get to see a more involved Xue Ling Qiao as he finally realised he could not live apart from Tiang Jingzhi. In Season 2, you'll get introduced to a few more characters and side-couples. I am sure you'll ship at least one of the side-couples. Overall, the story maintained its fidelity from Season 1 and ended nicely. Though we can now close the chapter to the story of Xue Ling Qiao and Tian Jingzhi, I will not say no if the producer and director decide to further this franchise and tell the story of their son in Season 3.
Acting/Cast: Initially, the change in lead actress threw me off a bit. Esther Yu as Tian Jingzhi has big shoes to fill as her predecessor, Janice Wu, did an excellent job in portraying the quirky, sometimes annoying but surprisingly lovable Tian Jingzhi. In fact, Janice Wu pretty much carried most of the weight of the drama from Season 1 on her shoulders as her acting shone in it. It took me somewhere around 10 episodes before I could watch Season 2 without the bias of comparing Esther Yu's Tian Jingzhi to Janice Wu's Tian Jingzhi. All things considered, Esther did a good job but I couldn't shake the feeling that she's simply emulating Janice Wu on the character. She was a good copycat, and that is in no way something bad because it takes good fundamental acting skills to perfectly emulate another person's acting. For a relatively newish actress, she did well. Hopefully as she grows in her acting career, she'll one day be able to interpret and act out a character entirely based on her own acting style.
As for the male lead, I wasn't very keen on Kim Tae Hwan in Season 1. In my opinion, the man cannot act to save his life (apologies to his fans!) and his only selling point was because he's Korean and nowadays, anything Korean pretty much sells ("The Oppa Trend"). I was actually glad they changed the lead actor to Mike Angelo who is better looking and can act (at least he's a better actor than Kim Tae Hwan!). Also, Mike can speak Mandarin pretty well and although his voice was dubbed, you can tell that he'd spoken his script in Mandarin throughout from how his mouthing of the words matched the dubbing. This is a great improvement from watching Kim Tae Hwan act in Korean but dubbed into Mandarin. I 'll award Mike an extra star for his extra effort in learning Mandarin so he could act in Mandarin dramas. At the back of my mind, I cannot help thinking...if only Mike Angelo was in Season 1 with Janice Wu and they maintain this pairing to Season 2, that would be perfect! Both Mike and Janice are more seasoned actors and I am sure the chemistry would be better too.
Casting for the supporting characters was spot on. Young newbie actor Li Ge Yang as the playful but loyal Zhen Yi Jiao was a lovable character. Mature actor Liu Guang Xiang was perfect as the well-meaning but ambitious and highly principled Qiu Yue Bai/ Lion. Kudos to the ladies too - Yang Zhi Ying as Bai Lu and Tian Yi Tong as Ye Mei Xiao. Of course, we must not forget returning actors from Season 1 - Fu Jia as Li Yan Zhi and Yang Yi Fei as Feng Dong Dong reprised their roles to perfection.
Music: Initially, I wasn't keen on the OST but after a while, it grew on me.
Re watch value: Decent re-watch value as it's an easy and relaxing watch with minimal repetitions and good story pacing.
Overall: A good drama to fill your time, but do not expect this to be a 10/10 or a phenomenal hit. It's light on the viewing and if you'd watched Season 1 and wondered how Tiang Jingzhi and Xue Ling Qiao's romance progresses from Season 1, watching Season 2 will answer your curiosity and give a nice end to their story. Enjoy!
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The plot description released by NHK got me at first sight (or more like at first read). I thought this drama seems intriguing and without second thoughts I started downloading it. Not long after that, I started watching it and finished the whole thing even without subtitles. It was certainly worth the while.
Platonic’s plot, characters and events’ flowing is very similar to the way Japanese used to do dramas back in the late 90’s to the beginning of the millennium. I surely had a nostalgic moment while watching this. That factor amongst others helped this drama to stabilize an interesting watch until the very last end. It wasn’t mind-blowing but it was attention-grabbing. I dislike tearjerkers and everything that falls under that category. Fortunately, Platonic didn’t take that “I am going to die but I love you *cries* *cries*” turn. Instead, the drama took reality’s turn and made feelings and sentiments sound so genuine despite their simplicity. It excels at throwing every surreal sensation and exchanging it with more down to earth and believable emotions
On the other hand, this drama was somewhat slow in depicting some developments. The wait made me impatient and eager to see the whole thing through. Furthermore, the ending didn’t surprise me a bit. I really hate it when the exact same thing I predict happens. However, everything was logical and real enough.
Nakyama Miho was a good fit for the role of a mother who stopped being a woman, this is the first time I see her in recent times since I was used to her performance in older dramas. She was a mature actress and she still maintains that quality very well. Her co-star Domoto Tsuyoshi was quite good for this type of role. Although their chemistry didn’t strike me, they were a possible nice match. I also didn’t mind the age gap that much.
Some other characters added spirit to this drama; they were an undeniable presence just like few of them were a waste of space. I can say that I liked the supporting set as a whole.
This drama’s Music was English, the type that I don’t usually hear but color me surprised! It was such a great fit for the drama, I won’t listen to it again but when watching the drama, you can feel the OST penetrating into you.
Watch this if:
-You like Slice of Life Japanese dramas.
-You like the older Japanese way of doing dramas because this is quite similar.
-You like some unusual terminal diseases’ dramas.
Do not watch if:
-You’re looking for a tearjerker, despite the feel of it; this is not one.
-You dislike Slice of life dramas.
-You’re looking for something dazzling.
Platonic is a slow-sailing drama that goes into the depth of many human emotions. It’s not a tearjerker although it may sound like one at first.
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Legally Yours!
This was a delightful cocktail of drama and comedy wrapped in a refreshing narrative that defies the usual tropes (not a university BL). It is fun and uplifting, offering a refreshing escape with a balance of lighthearted moments and meaningful connections.Ryoma was an interesting character. He is a passionate lawyer with a very peculiar relationship with his succulents. He has that classic tsundere energy but deep down is such a softie. On the other hand, Haruto is charming yet mysterious, hiding his secrets until the last few episodes. Even though it was pretty obvious that Haruto had ulterior motives when he first contacted Ryoma, I couldn’t help but side with him. The suspense added intrigue, but I do feel like they revealed his secrets a bit too late, and what followed after , felt rushed.
The chemistry between the leads Ryoma and Haruto was so palpable and cute!
Their relationship was beautiful. The way Ryoma risked everything for Haruto and trusted him despite all odds against them was touching. It shows how pure and strong their love is. And Haruto, who initially approached Ryoma for his own reasons, ends up staying and going to great lengths for him. They both needed the calm warmth and unconditional emotional support the other provided. There were moments that gave me second-hand embarrassment, but it was filled with that perfect mix of laughs and swoon-worthy moments.
While their romance had its ups and downs, I do think the pacing of their relationship was a bit fast. But considering the 19-minute episode length, it’s understandable.
Overall, this was a pleasant surprise. Though it has its flaws mainly with pacing and some ambiguous character intentions, it still managed to keep me hooked with its great chemistry and decent comedic moments.
If you're looking for something light and fun, I’d definitely recommend it! It’s the kind of show that’s better binged rather than watching one 20-minute episode a week.
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for one thing I think it's really easily relatable, Go Ha Neul was just like any one of us, she was a job seeker that was lost and kinda desperate for that stable job, so everything was new to her, and that could be scary, but she handled it all so admirably~
Bae Ssaem was one of my favorite characters, he was easy going, simple and friendly, he really made everyone feel at ease.
Park Sung Soon was the shield for her team and the kids, she always tried to protect them and do what's best for them. and with Do Yun Woo's cool persona, the team felt so diverse and beautiful~
even characters like Kim Yi Boon who seemed like the selfish mean character turned out into a supporting sweet person.
the music was perfect, it fit really well with the atmosphere~
my rewatch values are always a 1 or a 10, and I was really satisfied with the ending and overall message~
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Every scene was made in a artistic way with a unique camera and music which suited the scene and was creating the atmosphere so you could feel the actual emotions. I would like to point out how logical was the plot. It happens a lot in dramas that some things don't fit together and it seems a bit weird. Here, every scene had a logical reason why to be put there. It was amazing to see that some scenes from the beggining were actually much more important at the end and had much more meaning behind it.
Also the acting was so beautiful. I can't find any other word how to describe the acting. See it for yourself.
After a lot of dramas which weren't good I've finally experienced the feeling when you finish drama and you feel empty the next day and the day after,....
If you're looking for an intelligent drama and has a hidden meaning which can be also interpreted to a real life - I wish you a pleasant and deep experience.
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Love Triangle with Impressive Characters & Story
Among the recent Chinese historical mystery and detective dramas I've watched, Under the Moonlight stands out as the most realistic. Unlike many other series that feature elaborate and sophisticated murders, this drama focuses on crimes driven by greed and corruption—reflecting a more grounded and plausible portrayal of society. The production quality is impressive, with exquisite attention to detail in the costumes and set design. The music and background settings are authentic, elaborate, and meticulously crafted.Plot Summary
Luo Shu (Hu Bing Qing) was sold to the Qin family and later to a brothel as a child after losing her parents in a fire. Ever since, she has attempted escaping, but a hidden force continuously prevents her from leaving. One day, with the help of County Commissioner Han Mu Zhi (He Peng), who is drawn to her intelligence and courage, she finally manages to break free. Recognizing her keen observation and wit, Han Mu Zhi enlists her help in solving a case where women seeking divine blessings for pregnancy are deceived and impregnated by men posing as disciples of the gods. Due to the shame associated with such crimes, no victims had previously come forward. Luo Shu plays a crucial role in bringing down the criminal organization, after which she requests assistance in restoring her status as a commoner to escape the lowest caste of society.
To protect her from being recaptured by the brothel while awaiting her official documents, Han Mu Zhi allows her to stay at the commissioner’s station. Over time, Luo Shu becomes an unofficial constable, using her sharp mind to assist Han Mu Zhi in solving numerous local crimes. They fall in love with each other.
Setting and Themes
Set in the Ming Dynasty, when societal norms were deeply conservative and women were discouraged from appearing in public, Luo Shu disguises herself as a man to conduct investigations. Although most people around her are aware of her true identity, Qi Meng Lin (Zhai Zi Lu), a spoiled brat from a wealthy and powerful family, remains oblivious, leading to humorous and endearing interactions. As the story unfolds, Qi Meng Lin eventually discovers her identity and falls in love with her as well, leading to a love triangle and delightful dynamic between the three.
Unlike many mystery thrillers that revolve around intricate and sensational murder plots, Under the Moonlight presents cases that feel authentic—crimes such as spousal murders, neighbor disputes, cheating, and human trafficking. The drama effectively portrays a rigid class hierarchy where the wealthy wield power with impunity while the poor are trampled upon with no voice. Luo Shu’s ability to solve these cases through keen observation and critical thinking is depicted realistically, making her journey even more compelling.
Characters and Acting
Since I am not very familiar with the lead actors, my evaluation is based purely on their performances in this drama.
Luo Shu (Hu Bing Qing)
Luo Shu is portrayed as brave, intelligent, and selfless. Hu Bing Qing brings the character to life, though at times, I find her facial expressions somewhat lacking. Certain emotional moments—such as fear, anger, and sorrow—could have been conveyed more vividly. It’s unclear whether this was a deliberate choice in writing or a limitation in the acting, but a greater range of emotions would have added depth to her performance.
Qi Meng Lin (Zhai Zi Lu)
Of all the characters, Qi Meng Lin is my favorite. Zhai Zi Lu delivers an outstanding performance, capturing the essence of a young, spoiled, and narcissistic nobleman who remains optimistic despite the challenges he faces. His interactions with his servant, Lian Shu (Yu Yao), are particularly amusing—Lian Shu, despite being a servant, essentially controls Qi Meng Lin’s finances and frequently reprimands him for his extravagant spending. Their dynamic adds a lighthearted and charming element to the show.
Han Mu Zhi (He Peng)
Han Mu Zhi is a principled and serious man who despises corruption and refuses to bow to the powerful. However, He Peng's portrayal comes across as somewhat rigid, with minimal facial expressions, making him appear almost robotic at times. Given He Peng’s strong performance in The Untamed as Wen Chao, I suspect this stiffness is an intentional aspect of the character rather than a flaw in the acting. Nonetheless, subtle moments of emotion—particularly regarding Luo Shu—hint at a deeper complexity beneath his stoic exterior.
There are several morally ambiguous characters whose true nature remains difficult to discern. The writers skillfully use both character development and acting performances to maintain this sense of uncertainty, keeping viewers engaged until the final reveal.
Final Thoughts
The historical authenticity enhances the viewing experience, making it one of the most visually immersive dramas. The costumes for all characters are carefully designed and highly believable, contributing to the overall realism of the show.
Among the contemporaneous dramas I’m watching (including Flourished Peony and Everlasting Longing), Under the Moonlight is my favorite. The story is highly relatable, and the acting, despite some inconsistencies, is the best among them. I thoroughly enjoyed the series.
Unfortunately, it remains underrated on MyDramaList, with only a small audience recognizing its brilliance. If you’re looking for a well-crafted historical mystery with realistic cases and compelling characters, Under the Moonlight is a hidden gem worth watching.
Highly recommended!
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This review may contain spoilers
<< Plot : 7.5/10 >>From the first few episodes, it appeared to be the typical clumsy damsel in distress who falls into misfortune and a smart, stoic yet charming prince charming waltzes into her life and coolly fixes all her issues. While the male lead, Han Che, does do a lot for the female lead, Nuan Nuan, Nuan Nuan actually grows a lot independently and a lot of credit to her growth should be given to her and pleasantly not the male lead.
It's quite refreshing to see the klutzy female lead have a storyline that allows her to grow and mature (because quite often, these cliche dramas leave it to the charming male lead to fix everything). Plot wise other than Nuan Nuan's growth in the fashion industry is pretty typical. Nuan Nuan loses her final chance at debuting as an idol due to Han Che misinterpreting his savior as Nuan Nuan's groupmate, Lin Jia Yi. He soon finds out that he repaid the favor to the wrong person and is determined to pay it back to Nuan Nuan by assisting her when she decides to pursue her fashion passion. As expected, Nuan Nuan and Han Che become close as they spend more and more time together and they eventually fall for each other, but the truth about Han Che causing Nuan Nuan to not debut comes out and it puts a roadblock to their relationship. Like the stereotypical romance line goes, Nuan Nuan forgives Han Che and they get back together.
** On the side note, biggest thing that I'm not a fan of the two are probably the kissing scenes. Reminds me of a truck ramming into a wall during some scenes.
Aside from Nuan Nuan and Han Che, there is some plot focus on some side characters including Nuan Nuan's best friend (who is also Han Che's older sister), Han Xue and Gu Li, who happens to be Han Che's subordinate and a long time "di-di" friend of Han Che's. Drama "villain" Lin Jia Yi gets some attention as well, and also Han Chen who has long harbored romantic feelings for Nuan Nuan.
Overall, the plot is cheesy and predictable, but that's what I signed up to watch. Brownie points awarded to the development story of Nuan Nuan.
<< Acting: 8/10 >>
I haven't watched much of Eleanor Lee, but she's quite natural and adorable. I wish she had a better hairstyle and makeup throughout this series because the hot pink lipstick definitely was not a good pick. But style wise aside, she executed Nuan Nuan quite flawlessly -- the clumsiness, quirkiness, happiness, and cuteness were all done so in a non-cringey way. When she was upset, it felt realistic as well.
I watched the Meteor Garden remake and got used to Leon Leong as the smiley sunshine boy, so the stoic genius role of Han Che took some time to adjust to. Regrettably, I must say that LL is probably the weakest of the acting bunch and it's quite lucky his character is stiff...to match with his acting. Still, he isn't a seasoned actor and his portrayal of Han Che wasn't terrible, so I still look forward to seeing him grow in the future.
From the secondary cast, Li Min Jun's portrayal of the adorable Gu Li was my favorite. He's actually my favorite character in the drama and I thought he conveyed his puppy-like character quite well. His chemistry with the actress who played Han Xue was quite believable as well. Xiong Yu Ting reminds me of another idol/actress who I can't remember right now, but I definitely liked her spunky and bold character. Her friendship and loyalty to Nuan Nuan was sweet and I love the BFFs together -- especially in the beginning when they crashed Lin Jia Yu's birthday party.
Lin Jia Yi and Han Cheng served their roles as the "villains" or "obstacles" to the main leads quite well, though I have to argue that LJY was a lot more annoying than Han Cheng. For a while I actually quite pitied her losing her friends for the chance to pursue her dreams, but after her learning that Han Che and Nuan Nuan were an item and still trying to interfere made me realize that her selfish character hasn't grown at all. As for Han Cheng, I feel like he's more of an obstacle as a villain; I feel bad for him and his feelings for Nuan Nuan that aren't reciprocated. The respective actor and actress played their role decently well, a bit stiff at times, but not bad.
TLDR: If you're looking for a cliche romance drama that has a relatively strong female lead then this is the drama for you. Nuan Nuan's storyline has you rooting for her from the get go and I don't remember a time when I stopped rooting for her. Second lead's Han Xue and Gu Li's romance is also quite cute and you'll most likely also be rooting for Gu Li to get the girl. Overall, probably will not rewatch but this drama put Eleanor Lee and Li Min Jun on my to-look-out-for actor/actress list.
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Scorched earth.
This is an artfully related dark crime thriller about a long, life blood sucking and soul destroying quest for justice. A body in a suitcase, a bomb scare, an incriminating old photograph and a looming terrorist threat captures headlines and puts acclaimed investigator Yan Liang on the case. He quickly discovers that these events are linked to a decade old cold case. The narrative navigates three time periods and alternates skillfully between the original team on the case led by prosecutor Jiang Yang (Bai Yu) and the present investigation led by Yan Liang as both investigations proceed down a parallel path. This is done so seamlessly it is not at all confusing; indeed all of the characters, events and clues flow fluidly and clearly. The pallete is sparse and dark toned consistent with the title and tone of the drama.While the mystery and suspense part of the drama is very well written and doesn't reveal itself too soon, this is really more of a character drama about Jiang Yang, a brilliant young prosecutor with a lot of fire in his belly. Without a doubt, this is Bai Yu's best acted role to date. His signature gigantic forehead was so well concealed I didn't recognize him for awhile. The way his Jiang Yang's indomitable idealistic youthful spirit is extinguished into a subdued, quiet desperation and almost but not quite defeated acceptance is one of the most moving and nuanced portrayals I have seen in a long time. He deserves to win awards for this role. I wish I could say the same for Liao Fan's Yan Liang but I was not wowed by his crime solving brilliance which is supposedly signified by pondering and obsessive ball bouncing. Despite some failed and misplaced attempts at humor, Yan Liang's present day team also lacks the rapport and chemistry that oozes out of Jiang Yang's "hot pot" team. Anchored by Bai Yu's powerful performance and a solid cast overall, there is still an unbalanced or somewhat lacking feeling. This is amplified by the fact that the adversary is just powerful with unlimited resources and tentacles everywhere. There is no well developed mastermind at work - all we see are a bunch of petty villains who employ rather crude tactics to suppress the truth.
The drama peaks at the end with the final reveal in a truly masterful and heart wrenching performance by Bai Yu. Yet I am left feeling unsatisfied; I am missing the satisfaction of a showdown and fitting consequences for the villains. Indeed the repercussions seem far worse for those who resort to scorched earth methods to uncover the truth. Thus to me, this is a dark drama - it far from glorifies the quest for the truth and justice. It leaves a lingering sense that it is far more worth while to just live a good and happy life.
This is an excellent watch but be warned, it is dark and sad. I don't consider it to be quite in the same league of the Bad Kids and give it an 8.5.
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That said, I also like the male lead. Like some characters in the series, there seem to be many "layers" to Xia Chun Yu. You just gotta keep watching to discover another side of him, which adds to the mystery of the entire story. The supporting characters and their respective stories are just as nice, as they compliment the main plot.
However, it does get a bit draggy towards the end... Regardless, I'd still recommend watching it if you're looking for something that's not too heavy (in terms of content).
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Good show, bad ending. TW: Violence & Gore
Dark Hole is a zombie apocalypse Kdrama with a slight touch of supernaturalism and fantasy with ths likes of Sweet Home but unlike Train to Busan which is a typically pure zombie drama.T W: As the name suggests, the drama is dark, gore and scary. If your over-sensitive and fragile, watch it with precautions.
The drama is set up in a semi-urban South Korean city, Muji in the Jeolla province and involves a number of characters that includes major, supporting, minor to very minor ones just like a survival series should have. The drama focuses on a city mass-survival efforts of different groups of people. The main plotline mentioned above also includes few other major plots for the lead characters and numerous subplots to fit in the concept of compelling individual's interred angst for someone who has done injustice to them.
Dark Hole is about an extra-terrestrial being with unlimited power of rapid mutation. The method of changing people into mutants is the transmission of spore like black substances via a foggy smoke which turns people into monsters with immense power. The purpose is to gain control over human beings.
The most prominent character is a detective who comes to Muji to catch a serial killer, an ex-policeman who works as a towman, chief of a sub- police station, a failed shaman always seeking authority over people, a highschool girl, victim of tragic incidents and a 10yo girl who lost her mother in that incident; everyone commonly sharing a cataclysmic past. Unlike Sweet Home where everyone was stuck in the same building, Dark Hole has different group of people stuck at different places trying to run away from the mutants as well as the black smoke and escape from one place to another. And in that courses, they're separated and unified multiple times.
Most important part about this drama is that the plot development and twists at any instances will make you doubt about the genre of the drama. At a point you'll think it's zombie horror, but next you'll assume it to be sci-fi and after a while it will feel it's supernatural and so on. The fact that the writer kept us intrigued till the end proves how great he's as a screenwriter. FYI, the Jung Yi Do jakka-nim is the writer of dramas like "Save Me" and "Strangers from Hell". And for the matter of fact, Kim Bong Joo pdnim has done a very great job as the director even though it's his first, so a big round of applause for him.
The major cast has done their roles pretty well, specifically Lee Joon Hyuk, for whom a majority of people took interest in this drama has undoubtedly played his charismatic and daring character throughout the drama giving a satisfying result. Also, Kim Ok Bin noona's fierce character is such a treat; her acting, the stunt scenes and the moments she had to deal with the monster in the void, everything was accurate. Oh Yu Jin, the one playing the highschool girl had a difficult task to do but she has done a remarkable job too. Im Won Hae as a police officer is bit namby-pamby yet manages to handle things by risking his life for the honor of his job.
Screen editing, connecting plots, proper organisation of subplot are very good in the drama but some things are making me complain which I am pointing out. Even though the drama is a mixture of so many subplots to keep it intense and eventful, the cause of the drama seemed lost when the drama was heading towards the end; few of the plots perished into nothingness.
Around the midway of the 10th episode, the plot gradually started fastening that gave the feelings that they're trying to rush things but still manageable till the end of 11th episode. But what happenes in the 12th episode which is the finale was totally disappointing. They rushed the entire thing; given that so many things happened in just that episode, they could have extended it to one more episode giving it a smooth goodbye but Idk where did it go wrong. This very good drama just turned into an average thing just because of that episode. This indeed is an missed opportunity and could have been a lotttt better. They simply could have otherwise pur less content which would have not made it look rushed.
I am actually sad that it turned out be this after showing us it's potential during the entire thing but overally, it's not a bad show. I would rate 8.5 to it if I don't consider the last episode.
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This review may contain spoilers
Hmmm........This is a super thrilling detective drama, with episodes leaving you thirsty for more action.
It's filled with twisted plots and the cinematography is just wonderful. Each episode has a different and unique plot, and the characters were wonderfully developed, each character development has a different background colour.
The music is the type that just keeps on replaying at the back of your mind, even after it has finished playing. I did really like to post the title of the track and all, but that would be a huge spoiler so.........
TEN is really a wonderful K-drama. Plus, it only has 10 episodes hehehe.
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